Potato-digger.



No. 660,830. Patented Oct. 30, I900.

' L. A. ASPINWALL.

POTATO BIGGER. (Application filed A r; 2, 1900.

3 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

m: nonms Pzrzns ca. PnoTo-u'ma, WASHINGTON, n. c.

No. 660,83). v Patanted Oct. 30, I900.

L. A. ASPINWALL. v

POTATO BIGGER.

( Applies-flan filed Apr. 2, 1900.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

ma Nonms PEYERS con Pnwoumu. WASHINGTON, u. c.

No. 660,830. Patented 0st. 30; I900.

. r L. A. ASPINWALL.

POTATO BIGGER.

(Application filed Apr. 2, 1900.)

3 Sheefa-Shet 3;

(No Model.)

l' lllll N. n, c. "m: NORRIS PETERS co. FHOTOLITHQ. wnsumm'o NHED STATESPATENT OFFIC LEWIS AUGS. ASPINWALL, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TOTHE ASPINWALL MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

POTATO-ZDIGGER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 660,830, dated October30, 1900.

Application filed April 2. 1900. Serial No. 11,038. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIS AUGUSTUS As- PINWALL, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Jackson, in the county of Jackson and State ofMichigan, have invented an Improvement in Potato-Diggers, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My present invention relates to improvements upon the devices shown inthe following Letters Patent heretofore granted to me: No. 189,911,dated April 24, 1877; No. 224,123, dated February 3, 1880; No. 264,603,dated September 19, 1882; No. 372,351, dated November 1, 1887, and No.387,278, dated August 7, 1888.

The object of the present improvement is in part to simplify and in partto make more efficient the devices of the aforesaid patents and toovercome the difficulties connected with said devices.

In carrying out the present invention I em ploy a series of segmentalwheel-flanges and devices for attaching the same to one of thedriving-wheels, which wheel is made smaller than the otherdriving-wheel, so that with the flanges the diameter is approximatelythe same. By this device I prevent a sidewise sliding and swingingmovement of the digger and also a slipping of the wheels when at work.

The plow in the present invention is concave, with a drawing edgeextending rearward, forming a line of clearance, so as to cut into thesoil, requiring less power and producing less strain on the mechanism.

In the present invention I make use of curved bars forming a gratingadjacent to and rearward of the delivery edge of the plow, and I employapnlverizing-wheel having bent angular swinging fingers for pulverizingthe ground and producing conditions therein similar to digging the rowsover a second time. This pulverizing-wheel separates the tops and Weedsfrom the body of earth containing the potatoes. Adjacent to thepulverizing-wheel I place a horizontal fingerwheel or spreader, thespecial office of which is to sift the earth moved off from the gratingby the pulverizing-wheel, so as to separate the potatoes from theloosened soil and free the potatoes and to cast or fling the same bodilyto one side of the machine upon after by hand, and I also make use ofother and minor features of improvement that contribute to the successof the present device, and which are hereinafter more particularlydescribed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view representing my improvement,,inwhich the seat and its supporting-bar are removed and a hand-lever shownin section. Fig. 2 is a side elevation with the left-hand wheel removedfrom the axle, so as to show the other parts more clearly. Fig. 3 is apartial elevation from the front of the machine with the pole andunnecessary parts removed, so as to show the plow and the adjacent frameand parts with as great clearness as possible. Fig. 4 is an elevation ofpart of. the wheel carrying the segmental flanges. Fig. 5 is a sectionalplan showing the plow, the pulverizing-wheel, the horizontalfingerswheel, and the means for operating the same. Fig. 6 is anelevation of part of the frame, showing the bearings for the pulverizingand horizontal finger-wheels and the cam for operating the fingers ofthe pulverizing-wheel. Fig. 7 is a section through the horizontalfingerwheel and frame and elevation of the means for operating the same.Fig. 8 is an elevation of the plow, grating, and pulverizingwheel; andFig. 9 is a vertical section through the pulverizing-wheel, showing thecam and operating-crank ends.

In the present improvement the following parts and the generaldescription thereof are similar to parts heretofore employed by me inpotato-diggers and shown and described in the aforesaid patentsnamely,the leadwheel 2 is on a frame 3, to the forward end of which a colter 4is secured, the object of which is to separate or divide the potato-topsand weeds of one row from those of the adjacent row. The frame 1* of theplow b has connected to it an arm 6, through the upper approximatelyhorizontal end of which a screw 5 passes, the lower end of which screwrests upon the frame 3, so that the plon and its frame are partiallysupported from the frame 3 and the relation of the parts maintained.

' As in. my former patents,- I make use of a lethe surface of the groundfor removal therever 7 and cam-arm 8, pivoted to a frame 9, by theoperation of which the plow is raised from and held above the groundwhen not in use, and I employ ratchets 10 upon the axle and pawls 11upon the wheels 6t ct, in my former patents, the operation of whichpawls when in engagement with the ratchets is to effect the movements ofthe various parts of the machine through suitable gears, and when saidpawls are disengaged from the ratchets the digging mechanism is free andthe wheels simply turn upon the axles as the digger is moved from placeto place.

Among the new features of my improved digger are the series of segmentalwheelflanges 12, each of which is alike and. curved to conform to theperiphery of the wheel (1. Each flange is made with a bent end 13 andwith a flat portion 14: at right angles to the bent end 13. The portions14 are secured to the wheel ct by yokes 15, whose threaded ends passthrough holes in the fiat portion and are secured by the nuts on thethreaded ends, and the segmental wheel-flanges are connected to oneanother by the bolts 16, which pass through the ends of each flange andthrough the flange back of the bent end 13, the said flanges beingalmostin line and directly over the centerot'thewheel,the wheel a/ being madesufficiently smaller than the wheel 0!, upon the opposite side of themachine so that the wheel a, together with the segmental flanges, is ofa diameter approximating the diameter of the wheel a. In the operationof the machine these segmental flanges out into the surface of theground and act as a rib to prevent the lateral motion of the machine,and the bent ends 13 also cut into the ground at the same time with theflanges 12 and act as paddles to prevent the wheels slipping to makepositive the movements of the digger mechanism.

The wheel a and its pawl 11 are loose upon the main axle c, and they aremovable longitudinally upon said axle to vary the distance between thewheels at a, and adjust them to the width of the rows of potatoes, and Iemploy collars a u upon the axle, one at each side of the wheelhub.These are made with set-screws to clamp them to the axle. The collar itcarries one ratchet 10.

The main axle c is provided with a sleeve (1, and a plate cl is madeintegral with the sleeve (Z, and the pole e is connected to a poleframe6, and straps e secure the pole-frame to the sleeve d, and the mainframe f, supporting the pulverizing and horizontal finger wheel and thegears, is connected to and depends from the plate d of the sleeve.

The straps e surrounding the sleeve (1, are movable longitudinallythereon, (see Fig. 1,) and by this means the pole 6, frame 6, and strapse are adjustable in their relation to the sleeve (1' and plate d tobring the plow properly in line with the hills, and their relation isfixed by the plate 37, fastened to one strap a, and the bolt 36, whichpasses through a hole of the row made in the plate (5.

The plow b is of a con cave form approxi mating a parabola, with adrawcutting edge extending rearward, as will be seen especially from Figs.3, 5, and 8, the object of this form being to out under the hill ofpotatoes with as little effort and strain as possible and at the sametime to lift the earth, potatoes, and vines up into the machine fortheir separation. The plow is supported by an arm q, extending out fromthe frame o. At the rear or delivery edge of the plow I place a gratingg, formed of parallel adjacent curved bars or fingers, the curvaturethereof conforming generally to the delivery edge of the plow, andadjacent to this grating and in an approximately vertical plane I placethe pulverizing-Wheel h, (shown specially in Figs. 5, S, and 9,) andwhich comprises a central hub 17 and bent angular fingers 18, the partsof which are nearly at right angles to one another. The fingers have aswinging motion, changing their position to discharge vines and weeds byaction of a cannsurface. The central hub 17 is made with radially-placedbearings, through which pass the bent angular fingers 18, and in whichsaid fingers turn. The hub 17 is mounted upon one end of a shaft 30inthe bearing 19, while on the other end of the shaft 30 is a bevel-wheel20, operatively engaging the bevel-wheel 27.

At the forward end of the bearing 19 I place a cam 33, and the innerends of the fingers 18 are made with crank ends 31, carrying rollers 32,which bear and run upon the face of the cam These rollers 32 run intothe recess upon the face of the cam, because of the downward tendency ofthe fingers result ing from their weight and the strain thereon, andpermit the fingers 18 to swing and change their direction of travel atthe moment of delivering the tops and weeds or flinging them to one sideand rearward toward the horizontal finger-wheel. The rotation of thispulverizing-wheel is in the direction of the arrow, and the action is tobreak up the lumps of soil-as they come over the rear edge of the plowonto the grating and to impart a movement to the earth and potatoestoward the rear right hand or in the direction of the horizontalfinger-wh eel or spreader.

The horizontal finger-wheel t' comprises a hub-plate 21 and the curvedfingers 22, and, as will be seen from Figs. 1, 5, and 7, these fingersare preferably set slightly dishing or upwardly curved at their outerends, and the wheel is set at an angle upward toward the right side onthe machine. A bevel-wheel 4:2 is secured to the short shaft of the hub21, and the said bevel-wheel and hub are connected to and supported bythe system of framing. A shaft in a bearing 23 carries at one end abevel-wheel 24 and at the other end a spur-wheel 25. Asleeve 20 ismounted upon a shaft in bearings which, with the bearings 23, are in thesame system of framin The sleeve 26 is made with teeth 43 on one end andwith a bevel-wheel 27 and an adjacent spur-wheel on the other end. Thebevelwheel 27 meshes with the bevel-wheel 20, the bevel-wheel 24 withthe bevel-wheel 42 on the hub of the horizontal finger-wheel, and thespur-wheel 25 meshes with the spur-wheel 28, and a toothed wheel 29,cast with one of the ratchet-wheels 10 and secured to the axle c of themachine, engages the teeth 43 in the outer end of the sleeve 26, so asto turn the same and the various bevel and spur wheels to opcrate thepulverizing-wheel h and the horizontal finger-wheel 1' when the pawlsand ratchets are in engagement.

Secured to and depending from the pole e is a bar 39 and pin 40,supported thereby, and the draft-bars s s are connected to the clevi's44 by cross-bars 47, a pin 43, and a link 41, through which link the pin40 passes. This bar 39 and pin 40 keep the line of draft in line withthe pole and at the same time allow for a slight adjustment verticallyto accommodate the various heights of the pole. The draft-bars s s, asin my aforesaid patents, are of differentlengthsandare attached atdifferent distances from the pole, so as to equalize or balance theresistance on the two wheels, together with the downward pull of theplow.

I employ a fender 25, secured to and rising above the portion of theframe to which the plow Z2 is connected. This fender is curved slightlyas it rises and is adjacent to the pulverizingvheel h, and the object ofthis fender is to prevent the tops of the potatoes falling over onto theplow-supporting frame and to assist the functions of thepulverizingwheel in advancing the tops to one side of the machine. Iprefer to make this fender t in the form'shown in Figs. 3, 5, and 8,wherein the same is supported by and connected to the frame carrying theplow, with the bars forming the grating connected to and supported bythe fender.

In the operation of the machine further than hereinbefore described theheight of the plow b is to be controlled by the screw 5 and the arm 6 inrelation to the lead-wheel 2. plow 1) outs under the row of potatoes,lifting the soil, potatoes, and tops, which pass off the rear edge ofthe plow onto the grating g and in contact with the rapidly-revolvingpulverizing-wheel h, which by its centrifugal action and gravitation ofthe material dis-.

"charges the earth in a pulverized condition,

together with the potatoes, upon the horizon- The pulverizing-wheel op-'The but five fingers, affording wide spaces facilitating gravitation andcentrifugal action, thereby discharging the earth and potatoes. However,I do'not limit myself to the above number. By the gravitating andcentrifugal delivery of earth and potatoes the vines and weeds aredetained, which through the cam action of the fingers turns thembackwardly, delivering all trash to one side of the machine separatelyfrom the potatoes, which in the discharge are separated from the vines,except in the instance of green tops or early digging, when they areturned root end upward, exposing the tubers.

I claim as my invention 1. In a potato-digger, the combination with theframe, of a concave plow having a long rearward-extendin g draw cuttingedge,a grating formed by curved fingers adjacent and parallel to thedelivery edge of the plow and a pulverizing-wheel with movable fingersand set obliquely to the axle of the machine and approximately parallelto the rear edge of the plow and means acting in connection with thepulverizing-wheel for delivering the potatoes and vines separately toone side of the machine, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination in apotato-digger, with the plow and the framesupporting the same, and a grating adjacent to the delivery edge of theplow, of a fender connected to and supported by the same frameand risingabove the said frame and bent toward the plow and a pnlverizing-wheeladjacent to the said fender and grating, substantially as set forth.

3. In a potato-digger, the combination with a plow and a grating ofcurved bars adjacent thereto, of a pulverizing-wheel set approximatelyparallel to the grating and above the same and comprising a revolublehub and bent angular fingers connected to the said hub, and means formoving the fingers with the rotation of the pulverizing-wheel,substantially as set forth.

4. In a potato-digger, the combination with a plow and a gratingadjacent thereto and formed of curved bars, of apulverizing-wheel setapproximately parallel to the said grating and above the same, andcomprising a central revoluble hub, bent angular fingers passing throughsaid hub and adapted to turn therein, a cam adjacent to the back of thesaid hub and rollers connected to the inner ends of the said fingersrunning upon the surface of the cam and thereby swinging the saidfingers, substantially as set forth.

5. In a potato-digger, the combination with a plow, a grating adjacentthereto and formed of curved bars or fingers, and a pulverizingwheel setapproximately parallel to the grat- 1 ing and above the same, andcomprising a central revoluble hub, a shaft therefor and means forturning the same, bearings formed radially with the said hub, bentangular fingers passing through the said bearings, crank ends connectedto the inner portions of the said fingers and rollers carried by thesaid crank ends, a cam adjacent to the said hub and upon which the saidrollers bear, the said rollers running upon the surface of said cam withthe rotary movement of the pulverizing-wheel and swinging the fingers,the parts being so placed that a swinging movement is imparted to thefingers simultaneously with the throwing off of the tops thereby,substantially as set forth.

6. In a potato-digger, the combination with a plow and a grating ofcurved bars adjacent thereto, of a pulverizing-wheel set approximatelyparallel to the gratingand above the same and comprising a revolublehub, bent angular fingers connected to the hub, and means for swingingthe fingers with the rotation of the pulverizing-wheel, and a horizontalfinger-wheel rearward of the said pulverizing-wheel, substantially asset forth.

7. In a potat0digger, the combination with a plow and a grating adjacentthereto and formed of curved bars, of a pulverizing-wheel setapproximately parallel to the said grating and above the same andcomprising a central revoluble hub, bent angular fingers passing throughthe said hub and adapted to turn therein, a cam adjacent to the back ofthe said hub and rollers connected to the inner ends of the said fingersrunning upon the surface of the cam and thereby swinging the saidfingers and a horizontal fingerwheel rearward of the saidpulverizingwheel, substantially as set forth.

8. In apotato-digger, the combination with the frame, of a concave plowhaving a long rearward extending draw cutting edge, a grating of curvedbars adjacent and parallel to the delivery edge of the plow, apulverizing-wheel set obliquely to the axis of the machine above thefingers and approximately parallel to the rear edge of the plow andhaving swinging fingers and a finger-wheel rearward of thepulverizing-wheel, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this 23d day of March, 1900.

L. AUGS. ASPIN \VALL.

Vitnesses:

C. G. RoWLEY, W. O. SHANAFELT.

